Spike driving apparatus



June 27, 1961 R. E. KELLER SPIKE DRIVING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1957 INVENTOR.

June 27, 1961 Filed Jan. 23, 1957 R. E. KELLER SPIKE DRIVING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 2,989,927 SPIKE DRIVING APPARATUS Ralph E. Keller, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Kalamazoo Manufacturing Company, Kalamazoo, Mich. Filed Jan. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 635,780 3 Claims. (Cl. 10417) This invention relates to improvements in spike driving apparatus for railway tracks.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a spike driving apparatus for railway tracks including means for ropelling the apparatus which is controllable by the operator of the hammer.

Second, to provide a spike driving apparatus for railway tracks which is of large capacity and at the same time is very easily operated.

Third, to provide a spike driving apparatus including a pneumatic hammer and a carriage adapted to travel on a railway track and on which the hammer is mounted, and a power unit for providing compressed air for the hammer and for driving the pneumatic motor of the carriage and also current for the control valves.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a spike driving apparatus embodying my invention, fragments of the railway track being illustrated, also driven spikes and partially driven spikes, the hammer being in partially lowered position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the manner of placing on and removing the power unit from the carriage.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of parts viewed from the opposite side of that shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing certain details of the hammer supporting arm and the relation of the hammer thereto.

FIG. 5 is a conventionalized plan view of the power unit.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents the roadbed of a railway track, 2 the ties, 3 the rails and 4 the spikes.

The spike driving apparatus embodying my invention illustrated comprises the carriage adapted to travel on the railway track and including a frame-like body comprising side rails or sills 5 connected by cross pieces 6. Flanged track-engaging wheels 7 are provided with axles 8 supported in the bearings 9 mounted on the upper sides of the side members or rails 5. The manner of connecting the parts is not illustrated, but it will be understood that they are fixedly connected.

The carriage is driven from the reversible air motor 10 which is connected to the jack shaft or transmission shaft 11 by means of a relatively large sprocket wheel 12 and the chain 13 coacting with a relatively small sprocket on the shaft 14 of the motor. The shaft 11 is connected to the front axle by means of the sprocket chain and suitable sprockets designated generally by the numeral 15. This provides a speed reducing driving connection for the motor to the axle. The purpose of driving the axle at reduced speed is that it permits accurate positioning of the hammer relative to the spikes to be driven.

The brake shoe 16 is actuated by the pneumatic means 17, the details of this brake actuating means are not illustrated as the details form no part of this invention. However, it is important that the carriage be provided with brake means so that it is held in its adjusted position on the track and it is important that the carriage may be driven step by step and accurately positioned on the track. At its forward end the carriage is provided with a standard 18 disposed centrally thereof. The hammer supporting arm 19 is pivotally mounted at 20 on a bracket or coupling member 21 mounted on the vertical pivot 22 carried by a bracket projecting forwardly from the base of the standard. The arm 19 is tubular and is provided with a bracket 23 at its swinging end to which the counterbalance spring 24 is connected. The other end of the counterbalance spring is connected to the chain 25, the links of which are selectively engageable with the coupling link 26 which in turn is connected to the bracket 27 pivoted at 28 on the standard.

The upward movement of the arm 19 is limited by a stop means which in the embodiment illustrated comprises the tubular member 29 connected to the bracket 23 at its forward end and the rod-like member 30 which telescopes in the member 29 and is pivoted at 31 to the bracket 27. The stop 81 limits the telescoping movement of these members 29 and 30. Thus arranged the stop means and counterbalance are swingable with the arm.

The pneumatic hammer 32 is provided with a shank 33 telescopingly engaged with the supporting arm 19; the body of the hammer is mounted on the yoke 34 on the shank 33 for limited rotative movement, the yoke being provided with slots 35 receiving the supporting journals 36 on the hammer. This permits some tiliting movement of the hammer as well as limited rotative movement for the convenience of the operator in grasping the handle 39.

The air supply conduit 37 is connected to the hammer and to a coupling 38 mounted on the standard. This conduit has sufiicient slack to permit a substantial range of adjustment of the hammer. A switch box 40 is mounted on the shank 33 and includes a pair of control switches 41.

The carriage is provided with a pair of laterally spaced ways 42 of upwardly facing channel section and at one end of the ways is provided with loop like supports 43 for the skids 44. At the other end of the ways the carriage is provided with an anchor member 45. These ways 42 are spaced to provide supports for the wheels 46 of the power unit 47. This power unit comprises an engine 48, conventionally indicated in FIG. 5, a compressor 49, also conventionally illustrated, battery 51 and generator 52. The driving and electrical connections for these parts are not illustrated as they will be readily understood.

The power unit carriage is provided with a projecting arm 53 adapted to receive a locking pin 54 for retaining the power unit upon the carriage. The storage tank has an outlet 55 provided with -a valve 56. At the outer side of the valve the outlet is provided with coupling nipples 57 and 58, the conduit 37 is connected by the supply connection 59 to the nipple 58.

The means for controlling the motor 10 and the brake actuating member 17 comprise the first and second control valves 60 and 61 which are connected in series by the conduit 62. The first valve 60 is connected to the nipple 57 by means of the conduit 63. The first control valve is connected by the conduit 64 to the pneumatic brake actuating member 17. The reversible motor 10 is connected to the second valve 61 by the conduits 65 and 66. The details of the valves are not illustrated as they form no part of this invention.

The switches are connected to the battery 51 by the cable 67 through the connector 68 which is conventionally illustrated. The battery is provided with a ground 69 also conventionally illustrated. The cable 67 includes wires 70 and 71 operatively connected to the switches 41.

The carriage is provided with a coupling member 72 to which some propelling means may be connected for moving the carriage to and from the Work area. The motor 10 is geared down for the purpose specified of accurately locating the carriage and is not designed to be used for moving the carriage any considerable distance such as to and from the Work area. The skids 44 may be placed on the carriage as indicated in FIG. 5. With this arrangement of parts; the power unit being removable, it may be used for other purposes.

One of the important advantages of my invention is that it may be rapidly and easily manipulated by a single operator, and is cap-able of very rapid manipulation.

I have not attempted to illustrate and describe other modifications'and adaptations of the invention as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed to be new and is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spike driving apparatus comprising a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway'track, a hammer supporting arm pivotally mounted on said carriage to project endwise therefrom and for lateral'and vertical swinging movement, a hammer support slidably mounted on the swinging end of said arm, a power driven hammer mounted on said hammer support and provided with a handle for manual manipulation of the hammer, said hammer supporting arm being laterally swingable to permit positioning of the hammer in operative relation to both rails of the track and to both sides of the rails on which the carriage is travelling and being vertically swingable so that when vertically retracted the hammer clears the rails, said slidable engagement of the hammer support with said supporting arm facilitating the manual positioning of the hammer relative to the work with the carriage at rest, and a counterbalance means acting to automatically retract said supporting arm and the hammer thereon to rail clearance position when said hammer is released by an operator.

2. A spike driving apparatus comprising a' carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a hammer supporting arm pivotally mounted on said carriage to project endwise therefrom and for lateraland vertical swinging movement, and a hammer support slidably mounted on the swinging end of said arm, a power driven hammer mit positioning of the hammer in operative relation to both rails of the track and ,to both sides of the rails on which the carriage is travelling and being vertically swingable so that when vertically retracted the hammer clears the rails, said slidable engagement of the hammer support with said supporting arm facilitating the manual positioning of the hammer relative to the work with the carn'age at rest.

3. A spike driving apparatus comprising a carriage adapted to travel on rails of a railway track, a hammer supporting arm mounted on said carriage to project at one end thereof and for lateral and vertical swinging adjustment, and a hammer support slidably and rotatably mounted on said arm, a power driven hammer, mounted on said arm and provided with a handle, said hammer supporting arm being of such length and being laterally swingable relative to the carriage to permit positioning of the hammer in operative relation to both rails of the track and to both sides of the rails on which the carriage is traveling, said slidable engagement of said hammer support with said hammer supporting arm facilitating the positioning of the hammer relative to the work.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 504,491 Doriot Sept. 5, 1893 773,112 Adams Oct. 24, 1904 1,319,792 Phorson Oct. 28, 1919 1,404,841 Doak, j--- Jan. 31, 1922 1,670,007 Rasmussen et al. May 15, 1928 1,846,095 Elmer Feb. 23, 1932 1,995,168 Bron-ander Mar. 19, 1935 2,018,129 Jackson Oct. 22, 1935 2,271,194 Ingwer et a1 Jan. 27,1942 2,316,747 Stephens Apr. 13, 1943 2,379,137 Feucht June 26, 1945 2,384,557 Piper Sept. 11,1945 2,423,787 Mosena et al. July 8, 1947 2,608,310 De Penning Aug. 26, 1952 j FOREIGN PATENTS 633,536 France Oct. 29, 1927 France 'Ma1. 25, 1953 I I I I 

